Baby Shower Food

Baked Ziti. It's cheap and almost everybody likes it. Take 2 boxes ziti or penne cook aldente. Heat over to 350. Mix pasta with large container of ricotta and a jar to jar and 1/2 of spaghetti sauce. Top with shredded mozzerella. It feeds a ton of people. A pan and a half feed 30 people at my rehersal dinner. Serve with garlic bread and a simple salad.
cathy V.

S.:
If you have an e-mail, I have several recipes that are originally made to cost less than $2 per serving. If you cut them into appetizer size, then the cost is even less. My e-mail is ____@____.com is the great thing about being a Pampered Chef Consultant. There is a great no mess pizza, some great little quiches and so many more. E-mail me and let me know if you'd like me to send you them.

pizza roll ups!! take refrigerated crescent rolls and roll out. take mozzerella (or whatever kind you have) string cheese sticks and seperate the cheese in two. lay one on the crescent roll, place about 3 pepperoni on top and sprinkle garlic salt over top. roll up and cook according to package rules and serve with pizza sauce. yummy and cheap!!

I've hosted many a shower - in good times $$$ and in some lean times $. Here are a couple of things that I've done, and they are always a hit!

Take a pretty platter, place a small bowl in the center, and fill bowl with Hershey's (or store brand) chocolate syrup. Wash strawberries and pull the greens back but not off. Arrange the berries in concentric circles around the bowl of chocolate.

Buy ready made frozen mini quiches. Bake and serve warm.

Make ahead - mini stuffed mushrooms ( you can even stuff them with quick stuffing mixes that you buy and are ready in a few minutes). Arrange on a platter around a bowl of gravy / hunter sauce that you make from a package mix.

Make sandwiches - egg salad, tuna salad etc.. Cut the crusts off carefully with a sharp knife, and then cut in 1/2 or 1/4 and arrange on a platter. They always seem so much fancier with out the crust and cut up!

Make a vegggie tray with the usual - carrots, brocoli, cherry tomatoes.

Serve a large bowl of punch.

You can make the sandwiches ahead and seal them tightly and refrigerate. The mushrooms can be assembles the night before, berries washed the night before and arranged. The day of the party, you just have to set everything out, warm the quiche and mushrooms, make some punch and viola! I always have fresh flowers on the table - inexpensive flea market or grocery store variety arranged in a vase. If you have time, you can buy ahead and stock the non perishables - like the chocolate syrup, gravy & stuffing mix, punch ingredients - and Oh - crackers and cheese - crackers can be bought ahead too! In my house though - if I buy that stuff ahead, I have to tie it up in the bag and hide it in the guest bedroom closet or my husbands midnight munchies will take care of!
Good luck! Have fun.

Don't know if you're just doing snacks or main dishes, but here's a couple of easy, delicious ideas:

The Roasted Grape Tomatoes here are so simple and delicious: http://hubpages.com/hub/Tomatoes3Ways

The Tex-Mex Lasagna recipe is from a friend who actually made this for another friend's baby shower - it requires very little prep and is completed in the slow coker and you serve it right in the slow cooker - just let people scoop it out - it's delicious! Here it is: http://hubpages.com/hub/LasagnaThreeWays
Hope this helps!

My daughter's baby shower was for younger adults. I served TGI friday chicken wings. They can be bought in very large portions. We also had the regular veggie and fruit trays (homemade). One thing that everyone really enjoyed was chili dip. It cream cheese spread on a microwave safe dish. A can of chili poured on to it. And, top with cheese. Put it into the microwave to melt the cheese. Serve with a nacho chip type. It was a big hit. Don't worry about the food. Just have a lot of good games. I bought some prizes from the dollar tree for the guest to take with them.

ok - I have 2 ideas: 1.You wil need grape tomatos and tortellini & toothpicks. You can buy at costco the tortelini packages, cook as directed and mix with pesto sauce. Then on a decorative toothpick place a tortellini & tomato. 2. I also buy frozen meatballs, defrost and heat as directed for the sauce I buy a large jar of grape jam and mix with one jar of BBQ sauce. Heat in a sauce pan when it starts to boil it done. Mix in meatballs and you're done. you can keep in slow cooker or regular bowl. use extra toothpicks for your guest to serve themselves.

good luck!

Hi dear, request a pot luck...we all love to bring our favorite dishes and contribute to the party. And we all know how stressful it is to host a party. This is a blessing to ask all to contribute. Have a fun and loving party...

2 words--- crock pot

You can cook food in it and leave it in the crock pot to stay warm during the party. You can borrow them from other people, too, if you want to make more than one thing (or a lot of one thing- depending on how much that invite list is growing!!) Keep in mind that many of the people you invite may end up not able to make it for one reason or another no matter how close they are to the mom-to-be, so don't purchase your food until it gets much closer to the date of the party because "life happens" and people will cancel on you last minute

As for what to make in the crock... you can make swedish meat balls (which you can keep in the crock or take out and put on toothpicks if you want to be fancy)... you can make pulled pork (sooo easy-- just google it) and serve rolls with it-- if you get smaller rolls the pork will stretch further-- people can go back for seconds instead of eating half a big sandwich and throwing it away if they're full... there are tons and tons of easy recipes for crock pots if you google

Also, my friend always does this for gatherings because she has a huge family-- instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money on a Publix deli platter, she buys a few pounds of deli meat and rolls it herself-- plus cheese and rolls/bread, cut up tomatoes and onions and lettuce yourself, some pickles, mustard, and mayo and you're all set-- some potato/cole slaw type salads and you're all set! Then if you have meatballs in the crock pot for something warm, that's all you need except for the cake!

If you have a mini-muffin pan... use it! You can get a whole bunch of mini brownies from one mix.
Super easy taco dip:
One can of refried beans as bottom layer, mix together sour cream and cream cheese with a package of taco seasoning and a crushed garlic clove. Spread that over the beans. Shred cheddar cheese over that. Bake 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Dice tomato, slice green onions and chop black olives as the top layer. You can add some freshly chopped cilantro as well. Serve with tortilla chips.
Make a simple fruit salad.
Love the pot luck idea as well. That will keep your cost and time factor to a minimum. Have fun!

you can have a bbq, i have a huge family and that's what we did!! hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and even bbq chicken!! they won't really care because its free food and they'll have fun playing the games!!!

Hello S.,

I used to work as catering at fancy hotel. EASY way, go to grocery and buy turkey slice,roast beef slice,ham slice, few kind of cheese slice (swiss,america,etc..) from deli and buy some rolls and romance lettuce.
you put romanace lettuce on cookie sheet or big plate. you rolled meat slices on side of cookie sheet or big plate and rolled cheeses on other sides. Put rolls in basket. it look more fancy you may add olives in middle, put mayo in small bowl, place top of the middle sheet. and put mustard in small bowl, bottom of the middle of sides. it is cheapest than hire a cater.
You may buy some fruits like melon slice, watermelon slice, stawberries, blueberies on big plate or bowl which you prefer. make sure put whipping cream other side. some people like to dip other people dont.

Mske cake by urself, buy icing, frosting,buy some little figurine for baby shower cake, and decorate, it is enjoy fun decorate on cake. it is cheapest than buy a cake at store.

good luck,
D.

Wow! My family and friends must be super poor and I didn't even know it. In my circle a baby shower (or tea) is cake (petite fours, sheet cake, etc), punch, coffee, butter mints and p-nuts. I never served hot food or sandwiches. Ever. We play lots of cutie games and the "winner" receives a small baby gift that is then given tot he mama to be.

We always have showers at 2pm - tea time.

The decorations are minimal. We use the fancy china and punch bowl. Very nice linens and get out the silver. We always set up a very nice gift table and do a corsage for the mama.

That's about it in our circle. The hostesses always chip in and get a nice hostess gift (in addition to their own gift).

Has anyone asked to "help" you. Take them up on it.

Good luck,
S.

Hi S.,

Since I love, love, love to cook, I have lots of great recipes. Here is one for a nice snack, and it makes a lot!

Hankie Pankies
1-1/2 lb ground beef
1 lb hot breakfast sausage
1 lb velveeta cheese
1 TSB oregano
1 cup chopped onion
2 TBS Whistishire Sauce
Crackers and or small breads to serve on

Brown meats and drain, and cheese, oregano, onion and whistishire sauce. Cook low, stirring until all cheese has melted. Nice to keep in the crock pot.

I hope you have a great shower!

K.

I am recovering from my second childbirth as we speak. I have 2 suggestions for shower ideas that I think work perfectly for a budget for any kind of get together.

1-POTLUCK!!! You should have no issues asking a few people to make something to bring and help you out.

2- Stick with appetizers and picky items. Things that work out great are meatballs in the crock pot, either cocktail style or with some tomato sauce, deli platter or small finger style sandwiches that you can make yourself, dips with some veggies and chips, bake up some frozen chicken tenders and serve them with an array of dipping sauces. You check out some of your wholesale places like Sam's Club or Costco, they have a good selection of frozen appetizers as well!

I threw a bridal shower for my sister in law a few months ago. I ended up with 42 people coming. I totally understand your pain. It is okay to ask close friends and family to bring something. Be organized and tell them what you want. Let them pick from 2 or 3 things. Ask them to come early so there food is already there when other guests arrive. Thank them for doing it at the shower, acknowledge them to the mom to be as well. They did this because they love her.

Decide ahead of time what you are going to make with in your budget and make sure you don't let those things get away from you. I made meatballs in the crock pot. Veggies and fruit are always inexpensive, and easy to cut the night before so you can be a good host when other people are getting there. Crackers and cheese spread is good to.

On a side note The dollar Tree has a lot of good themed party decor for a dollar. Stay away from party stores if you are on a budget.

Good Luck! Remember you are a mother to your children first and you have to be wise with there money they do not want shower leftovers for a week.

When we had baby showers the host got the cake and made jello or got ice cream. All the rest of the food was furnished by the other family members. We always did pot luck and it turned out great. I come from a large family and that way the expense doesn't come all out of one persons pocket. We have also done this for weddings, bridal showers, funerals, birthday parties, etc....

Here is a great one that is soooooo easy, but somehow delicious and impressive. I have served it at many of showers and other parties. Take a block of cream cheese, set it in the middle of a platter, cover it from store bought caramel. There is some called Martinellis I think,it is always with the produce in Publix. Then around the cc and caramel, put green apple slices and large pretzel rods alternating and radiating so that it looks like a star/flower. It looks fabulous and is very YUMMY! It takes about 10 mins to make and that is just cutting the apples up.

Hi S.,

Pasta dish, Spinach dip, pigs in the blanket, Quiches, Chips and dip. veggies, and fruit. Fruit punch.....

Get ideas for menu on google. Baby shower foods.........

Hope this helps.

G. H.